Panasonic SZ10 has a
16.0MP 1/2.33' (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CCD sensor . On the other hand, Sony WX500 has a
18.0MP 1/2.3 (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Bionz X processor.
Below you can see the SZ10 and WX500 sensor size comparison.
Panasonic SZ10 and Sony WX500 have almost the same sensor size, so neither of them has any significant advantage over the other in terms of providing control over depth of field when used with the same focal length and aperture.